INDIANAPOLIS – During those special seasons – the ones that we talk about forever like the ’68 Jets, the ’86 Giants and the ’90 Giants – there is a point when a team begins to take root and grow an identity. A point where a team understands its strengths, hides its weaknesses and steadily generates a consistent pattern of success.

Tonight could be that starting point for the team that emerges victorious in the RCA Dome. At least that’s what the Jets and Colts, both 6-3, are hoping. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has called this a “gut-check game.” So it is for the Jets, who have lost two straight and play at 7-2 Miami next week.

If this is going to be one of those special seasons, it must start now for the Jets or Colts. If they are championship teams or even playoffs teams, now is the time to make that move.

The margin of error is just about up. Last week, neither the Colts nor the Jets played as if they are destined for something special. The Colts fell behind the previously 1-7 Bears 27-0 and wound up with an embarrassing 27-24 defeat. The Jets started slow once again and lost 30-23 to the Broncos when four passing plays from Denver’s 2-yard-line fell incomplete.

In this day of NFL parity, there is no shame in being upset or beaten on a given Sunday, but the manner in which the Colts and Jets lost left them searching to regain a winning identity. Are they a passing team, a running team, a balanced team or a team that wins with defense? What are the Jets besides maddening? We should find out tonight.

Before the Jets can even think about a second season, they must figure out what they are this season. With Bill Parcells you got a largely traditional offense with the an occasional trick play. The defense always was ranked among the league’s best. You ran the ball when you needed to, threw it when it wasn’t expected, and didn’t commit turnovers. It was a proven formula.

After nine games, the Jets under coach Al Groh are still searching for their workable formula, lodged somewhere between a spread offense that relies almost purely on the passing game and a more traditional approach built around a running attack headed by Curtis Martin.

Finding such a balance likely has been the objective all along, but consistently poor starts in games, turnovers and large deficits have forced the Jets to abandon the run and play catch-up, something they did quite nicely before losing in successive weeks to the Bills and Broncos essentially on the last play of each game.

Now that the magic has apparently run out, it is critical to find a more dependable formula that will keep Vinny Testaverde from throwing interceptions (13 thus far) and make full use of Martin, one of the best running backs in football.

Clearly, the Jets’ 6-1 record was a product of persistence more than pattern. Stealing four victories in the final minutes of the fourth quarter masked the flaws that are becoming costly. The Jets have scored first only once this season and in the past three weeks have trailed 30-7 against Miami, 17-7 at Buffalo and 17-0 against the Broncos.

Part of the early troubles can be traced to Testaverde’s execution in the regular offense where he has thrown six touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the first three quarters of games.

In the fourth quarter, when the Jets are normally in their spread offense trying to get back in the game, Testaverde has thrown eight touchdowns and one interception. Certainly, the defense has been soft at the beginning of those comebacks. Still, it’s clear a Jet strength is their spread offense where Wayne Chrebet, Dedric Ward, rookie Laveranues Coles, Martin and Richie Anderson can all be utilized in pass patterns.

But championship teams don’t rely on spread offense. That’s why establishing a consistent, productive running game is crucial. Groh has been critical of the run-blocking by his offensive linemen, who believe repetition must come before perfection. Martin had only 14 carries against the Broncos last week.

Groh says achieving a workable balance between the spread offense and the regular offense is a matter of execution and not so much play calling, though you get the feeling Testaverde might want to use the spread to set up the run.

That’s why tonight’s game figures to be a shootout. Manning will be looking to atone for his performance last Sunday where he completed just 5 of 10 passes for 52 yards as the Bears jumped to a 27-0 lead. The Colts quarterback under threw receivers, threw behind them and had an interception returned 35 yards for a touchdown.

Even though he wound up with 302 yards passing and field goal short of tying the game, Manning could sympathize with Testaverde. “This playing well for 30 minutes stuff, you can’t win games like that,” he said.

Tonight the Jets and Colts look to re-establish their swagger, and continue their quest for an AFC East race that is shaping up as one of the best the NFL has to offer. If this is going to be a special season for either team it must start tonight.